Exhaust connection for dry-pipe sprinkler systems



E. TYDEN EXHAUST CONNECTION FOR DRY PIPE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS May 15, 1928.

Original Filed April 1925 InVnZEr.

Patented May 15, 1928.

owan-n I EMIII TYDEN, 0F EVAN'S TON, ILLINOIS.

EXHAUST CONNECTIONFOR DRY-'PIPEf'SIBRINKLER SYSTEMS.

'hpplication'fi'led April 9,1925, Serial No..21,$8 2., lkenewed'Fcbruary 20,I;1928.

The purposeof this invention isto pro -videanimproved construction ina dry pipe sprinkler system for accelerating the opera- "tion of the system fol-discharge ofwater at the sprinkler head upon? the I opening. of any single sprinkler head or like occasion for admission of water to thefisys'tem. It consists in the elements rand "features of iconst ructionshown nn the claims and described-as indicated In the-drawings: FlgUI'Q 1 is a: partly; sectional view comprisinga-dry pipevalve of a sprinkler system and the l appurtenances thereto, constituting I'thls invention, section being made {LX131 with resp'ect to'ithe inlet and outlet connections of the 'dryjpipe valvec'asing.

Figure2*is a'view similar to Figure 1 showing ,the operating par-ts in different position from 'that of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a: detail". section of the acceleratorvalve seen in'Figure 1,011 aI larger sca'le thalr Figure 1.

In the construction shown in the drawings,

' A is the anainv valve "oasim of a dr I )i e sprinkler system having water 1 supply :eonerection indicated by the spipedterminah-rB, and water delivery connection with the; air pressure region of the system indicated :hy the pipe terminal, (I. The :main valve-,1 .D,

isishowniin Fig-ure'l in elosed position;.-;and I I aflords -;a iiulcrunratugfi tor thelever;.-L.

it may he understood that in the constructiori *as illustrated, the r main I valve carrying lever, 1E, is .weightedsto' counterbalance i the valve, D,:or over-balance. it= so ithat in the absence of a either water 1 pressure :belowi or super-atmospheric I 1 air pressure above l Tithe valve, ittends normally Ito openpbutitis not :essential to the present ilnvention, that the valvev should he over-balanced in: the direction for opening. The main valve; casing, A,=.is formed with: a hoss,-,-A atsthe side 'at whiclrthe main valve carrying leverr-ds tfu1crumed,-said boss beingapertured. for vent connection. At this aperture there {is -1nounted a disk, A shaving the vent :port, a ywhich is adapted tozbe closed bya valve, -F, carried by the; main valve-carryinglever, E, for preventing water'dischargenthrongh said Iport,-=said valve, F, being mounted n01] saidxcarrying lever at a point immediately hack of the pivotal connection of :the said carrying lever with the mainwalve, D, and being pivotally mounted at the :point indicated with a limited range ofxoscilla-tion aboutits pivot, asinclicated bylthe space-f,

shown between the hack ofthe valve the ,pi'vot hoss, 6 ,011 the lever, E, thisrangeiof :pivotahinovement being suitable for adapting the Yt1lVl3.rF, to accommodate ltself accuseatingofthe-valve, F, at that seat occurring when: theuna n valve, 1), is carried vto open ipositionIasseen in Figure 2. The disk,-A,

is secured to the boss, A by Ibeing clamped thereon :byfirthe i oot flange, G of. the vent -;fitti,11g,- G. This vent ffittinguhasqa lateral discharge indicatedlhyi ,the pipe, H,f which I may terminate "for free (atn iosphericldis- :chargepor maybe connected to the interseat chamber, A, of the main valve casing, A,:as

I indicated by dotted line pipe connection, H :SllOlUlHS.ttrCOlltll'lUEttlOll, of the -pipe,I-H, in;

Figures 1 and-2. In LtheIfitting, Gr, there is ,inounted for seating at thevalveIseat, g", and thereby controlling the vent passage,a valve member, K; j'llhis 'valvc mem ber has a stem, K which. extends through ltl16;p0ltthrough the'seat' an dI thrOi Igh. the elbow, g; I lcadingIto the discharge connection, said .stem being =connected by a-short link, K withia bellcrank lever latch, L, whose longer horizontal arm, L constitutes a latch at theI-end jof which thereis provided a catch, JM, I whose catch 11056,?72L, is Iadaptedto engageoa-Icatch hook, g, which is carried by :the. extension, I of the? Ifitting, G, which extension I also A I substantially horizontally I extendingarm, L I of said --lever, L, ;is. graduated, and, upon said; graduated portion "there is I mounted gfor sliding a weight, P, Which is adapted to he set and-secured at adjusted position, by I I ai setIscrew, I p, for weighting the lever to any :desired extent. Fl he catc h, My has an arm, M ,whi ch at I engaged ipOsltlQllotthje: catch withtheI-hook gt, extends: ofl' Ifrom the ini- :crnm: of athe I catch so, as I to adapt the, catch tobe rocked clearof the hookIby thegravity caused: movement of the weighted arm wheneventhekcatchnose is released :fromfthe frictlOllfllf engagement with said hook which is due to the pressure of the iweighted slever arnrI I I From this Idescriptioniit willbe understood that the mweighted, Ilever, {connected 1 as edescribed toIthe stem of the valve, K, will tend, I when the catch, m, =isIrele'ased [from the catch hook, g ,tmactuatevthe valve, K,,in opening direct-ion. J y I @The valverstem, or valve controlling 1rod, 1C, extends loosely throughusaid valve, K,

terposed on the stem between the spring, S,

and the nut, T, and a flexible longitudinally extensible and reducible bellows-like sleeve, V, enclosing the spring, S, has its outer end which is interiorly flanged or infolded, clamped between the disk, 1), and a second disk, a, interposed on the threaded end of the stem between the disk, o, and the nut,

as seen in Figure 3, the opposite end of the scaling sleeve, which is exteriorly flanged or folded outwardly making fluid-tight junction with the valve which is most conveniently done by clamping it against the inner side of the valve by means of an exteriorly threaded bushing, W, which is screwed into an annular flange or boss, K formed on the valve by rabbeting the same at the inner side to a diameter suiiicient to accommodate the folding and corrugating of a sealing sleeve, and said interiorly threaded bushing, K The detail construction of the valve, K, in addition to the particulars above described for securing the sealing sleeve'to it and to the'valve stem is preferably as shown in Figure 3, consisting of two parts, K and K the part, K being rabbeted about the central aperture through which the stem extends loosely, as stated, to accommodate the spring, S, and exteriorly reduced in diameter to form a flange, 7c, and exteriorly threaded at the reduced part for having screwed onto it the part, K which has the,

understood is designed and adapted to permit the valve to be drawn to its seat by operating the lever arm, L from the position shown in Figure 2 at which the valve, K, is

open, to a position shown in Figure 1, at which it is seated and may be held seated by the locking of the lever arm, L, by means of the catch, M, engaging the hook, 9 the valve being held yieldingly to its seat when it is thus seated by the tension of the spring, S, which is compressed in the seating move' ment described in which also the sealing sleeve, V, is reduced in length or collapsed toacertain extent. At this position it will be seen that the valve stem, K may be further thrust outwardly through the vent port controlled by the valve and through the valve itself, and that upon being thus thrust a very short distance suiiicient to lift the le ver arm, L just enough to take the catch,

'M, out of frictional engagement with the hook, 5 the weighted arm of the catch will drop and swing the catch entirely clear of the hook, leaving the weighted lever L arm free to fall and thrust the valve stem inward for releasing the valve, K, from its seat, and for forcing it off lts seat. And upon considering the construction and mode of action which is possible as above described, it may be understood that the weighting of the catch, M, so that it tends to release itself by gravity from the catch hook, g and the connection of the weighted lever arm, L by the valve stem, K, with the spring, S, through which the valve, K, is yieldingly held to its seat, constitutes means for releasing said valve-locking means, and that the stiffness of the spring, S, which may be varied by adjusting the nut, T, predetermines the resistance to thelock-releasing movement which may be caused by the air pressure of the system. The operation of the device in connection with the dry pipe sprinkler system will be as follows:

The system having been in operation for extinguishing fire, and the water having been shut off, the system drained, the sprinkler heads being closed, and the parts being in the position shown in Figure 2, the operator first sets the main valve at closed position seen in Figure 1, therebywithdrawing the valve, F, from its seat at the vent port, a leaving the latter open. The operator will next lift the lever, L to position shown in Figure 1 and engage the catch, M, with the hook, 9 thereby locking the lever in that position and locking the valve, K, in

seated position to which it was drawn by lifting the lever as described. The operator will then adjust the weight, P, on the lever to a point indicating the degree of pressure in the air pressure region of the system at which the main valve is to be opened for flooding the system, being the degree to which the pressure will fall substantially I iieawiu ua the lfatterenough to release the catch nose from its frictional engagement with theihook, g and the catch will ifall, leaving the lever unlockedand operating on thevalverod in the direction for opening the valve, but without opening it so long as the pressure in the system is unreduced; because that pressure operating on the area of the valve which is substantially greater than that of the disk, 0, against which the thrust of the valverod under gravity action of the lever "operates. But when a sprinkler head isLsubsequently opened, 'thepressure in-"the air,,.pressure j-regio n' (of the system being thereby reduced to such a point that the mice of said reduced pressure Operating upon thetareaof the' valve,K, is less than theiforce exertedby the weighted lever, L the lever will, Operate for thrusting the" stem inwardvand, opening the valve, K, permitting full vent of the supenatmospheric pressure inthe system through thepipe, H.

Instead of venting this'pressure to the atniosphere,'the pipe, H in addition to the free discharge to the atmosphere through thetbraneh, H}, may be connected as shown inFigi1'res land 2 for transmitting the pres-V sure from the pressure region of the system past the open valve, K, to the inter-seat chamber, A, of the main valve, where it will operate for counter-balancing or offsetting the air pressure in the air pressure region of the system, that is, at the other side of the main valve, and thereby cause the main valve to open instantly as if the air pressure region of the system had been fully vented. It will be understood that when this last mentioned mode of action is desired, the at mosphere vent must be closed; and for this purpose the branch, H of the pipe, H, has a valve, H which will be left open when the atmosphere vent is desired, and will be closed when it is desired to oiisetthe system pressure operating above the main valve with the same pressure introduced under that valve. It will be understood that when the structure is operated according to the method last described, there is required means by which the pressure delivered through the pipe, H, shall cut off access of atmospheric pressure to the interseat chamher, which in the regular ordinary operation is obtained through the open drainage port; and for this purpose there is provided a valve, R, carried by a counter-weighted lever, R which valve is held normally seated at h against the pressure delivered through the pipe, H, and which is adapted also to seat and be held seated at the drainage outlet, h, when said pressure forces it oil of the seat, 71- thus cutting ofi atmosphere access to the interseat chamber when the pressure from the pipe, H, is admitted to that chain her for the purpose indicated.

I claim 1. In a pipe sprinkler system=cmprising'a. main 'valve casing and min: vadve thereinicontrolling the inlet and \arranged to fb held seated-by super-atmospheric air pressurein the'-system,an exhaust --pas'sage leading fronrthe air pressure region of -the system; a valve seatinsaidpassage-and an exhaust-controlling valve co-operating there with, positioned for being seatedby the sys tem air pressure; and means connectedfor exerting predetermined pressure, inaddition to the atmospheric pressure, on said valve inthe direction for opening it'operating thereon against the system pressure eontinur ously when-said valve is seated, regardless of the degreeof variationof said -"system pressure, whereby said exhaust-controlling valve is automatically opened when the force due-qto the system pressurefor holding' the valve. seated falls below sai'dkpredetermined openingforce;

QwIn the construction defined in claim 1,

foregoing; the exhaust passage-being =posir I honed-leading from k a port in the main vwlvo casing i a valve mounted for seatingat -said port to close the 5 same forpreventing "water passage therethr'0ugh,* andadapted h be seated by the movement of the main valve to its openposition and to be opened by the movement of the main valve away from said position.

3. In the construction defined in claim 1, foregoing, in combination with the means for automatically opening the exhaust valve, means for releasably locking said opening means at the seated position of the valve,

means exposed to the system pressure for movement thereby, connected for causing release of said locking means, and means opposing predetermined resistance to the. lockreleasing movement of the release-operating means; whereby the locking means having been engaged for locking. the valve at closed position is released when the predetermined pressure is obtained in the system, and the exhaust valve is thereby left free 'toopen upon decline of said system pressure below the degree for holding the valve closed against the predetermined opening force.

4. In a dry pipe sprinkler system, the casing of the air pressure region having an exhaust port; an exhaust valve seated at said port for opening inwardly with respect to the casing, and having its stem extending out through the port; valve opening means comprising a weighted lever fulcrumed and operatively connected with said stem for opening the valve by gravity against the system pressures within the casing; a weight adjustable along the lever for predetermining the limit of pressure against which the valve can be opened by said means. 7

5. In a dry pipe sprinkler system and the like, in combination with the main valve casing and main valve therein, said casing having an exhaust port, an exhaust valve seatingat said port in a direction to be seated by the system pressure in the casing, said exhaust valve having a stem extending out through the port which the exhaust valve controls; exterior means operating on said stem for opening the exhaust valve against the system pressure; yieldingmeans connecting the stem relatively to thevalve, said means being exposed on opposite sides to the system pressure and to atmospheric pressure over an area less than the seating area of the valve; a catch operative at the seated position of the exhaust valve for locking said exterior means against valve-opening movement and adapted for automatic release by the movement of the stem relatively to the valve which is provided for by said yielding connecting means and caused by the superatmospheric system pressure on said yielding means.

6. In a dry pipe sprinkler system, the air pressureregion of the system having an exhaust connection, a valve controlling said connection positioned for being seated by the system pressure; means operating with predetermined force for opening the exhaust cess of system pressure over atmospheric pressure, being connected to the valve opening means for opposing the valve opening act-ion of said means in releasing the looking means; whereby any change in the predetermined valve-opening force causes like change in the resistance of the locking means to release, and the required relation between the two forces is preserved.

In. testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois, this 6th day of April, 1925.

EM L TYDEN. 

